DALLAS —- Neighbors have spoken out over concerns regarding the water fluoridation process in the city of Dallas.
At the Sept. 25 Dallas City Council meeting, Linda Newland, from District 7, critically questioned Dallas’ alleged “one size fits all” approach to water fluoridation. Newland additionally made claims about how fluoride ingestion can cause low IQ in children, highlighting that not all residents can afford bottled or filtered water.
In a previous meeting held on Jan. 15, Newland criticized the city council for their stagnation with countless issues, but made sure to spotlight the blatant disregard when it comes to stopping
water fluoridation as well as a failure to listen.
Opgov.ai reached out to the Director of Dallas Water Utilities (DWU), Sarah Standifer, regarding the water fluoridation process and the need to continue this practice. Instead, the platform received a response from Public Information Officer Nick Starling, who assured that DWU follows the suggested guidelines and monitors any developments in the water regulating process.
“DWU provides our customers with safe and reliable drinking water,” Starling explained.
DWU meets and exceeds all drinking water regulations and has been rated a Superior Water System, the highest rating offered by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. Though the recommended levels of fluoride in water are relatively low, consistent with the U.S.
A 2023 presentation here details the history of the fluoridation system, dating back to 1965. The presentation was given by Standifer.
Oct. 16, 2023, presentation slide to the city of Dallas on the city's fluoride levels in the water
Centers for Disease Control, and well below the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) maximum contaminant level, there is still cause for concern due to fluctuations of the fluoride
levels. Fluoride was added to Dallas water in 1950 to support oral health.
Because fluoridated toothpaste wasn’t available until the 1960s, this process was considered a great invention to help prevent tooth decay in the general population. Opgov.ai additionally contacted dentist Mary Swift, Community Water Fluoridation Chair of the Texas Dental Association to confirm or deny the safety and necessity of fluoride in the city’s water supply.
Swift did not respond to OpGov.ai’s interview request.
Oct. 16, 2023 presentation slide on Dallas Water Utilities: Community Water Fluoridation in Dallas, Texas
As it turns out, studies associating fluoride with lower IQ have not been corroborated due to authors withholding the research data. While council members have also expressed concern over the need for fluoridating water, adding fluoride to water seems to be one of the most effective ways to prevent mass tooth decay in citizens even while using fluoridated toothpastes and ingesting certain foods or supplements.
If you would like to share your thoughts on the matter, please contact me at sydnee.r@lead4earth.org.
Thumbnail image credit: DWU Facebook page.
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